Did an episode of ‘The Simpsons’ from 19 years ago predict the future? It shows the entrance to 20th Century Fox’s movie studios with fine print below the logo that reads “A Division Of Walt Disney Company.” The episode is coming to light after Disney purchased 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion Thursday morning. The deal includes Fox’s 39 percent stake in satellite broadcaster Sky and the 20th Century Fox film studio, Disney announced. It’s not the first time the show has had a crystal ball.

A sixth-grade teacher at an all-girls academy in Dallas ISD says she was fired after word got out that she was an adult film actress more than 16 years ago.

Eva-Marie Ayala reports: Resa Woodward, who taught science at the Young Women’s STEAM Academy at Balch Springs Middle School, was pulled from the classroom on Nov. 29.

“I taught in an all-girls STEAM academy that was all about empowerment for women. The sad thing is that if these girls find out that I’m being punished for something that I did nearly 20 years ago and had no control of and fought to get out of, well, what does that say about empowerment?”

District spokeswoman Robyn Harris said Woodward was still considered to be on administrative leave as of Tuesday. She declined to release additional details, citing personnel matters, saying only “the process continues.”

Woodward, 38, said she is fighting termination.

Records obtained by The Dallas Morning News this week show that the district was first made aware of Woodward’s work in the adult film industry after an anonymous tip on March 10. An internal review at the time cleared her of any policy violation.

“That involvement was not of my own choosing.”

— Resa Woodward

Woodward said district officials told her then that she could continue teaching unless her previous career became public. That happened this fall.

“I taught in an all-girls STEAM academy that was all about empowerment for women,” Woodward said Tuesday. “The sad thing is that if these girls find out that I’m being punished for something that I did nearly 20 years ago and had no control of and fought to get out of, well, what does that say about empowerment?”

“Woodward is a well-known activist in the Libertarian Party of Texas, where she serves as state membership coordinator and a district representative. She frequently contributes articles to various Libertarian-related websites.”

She added: “That involvement was not of my own choosing.”

Woodward said she was forced into pornography when she was living with an older man and they had financial troubles. She said she was able to leave the situation, finish school and become a teacher.

“I’ve been trying to live my life as far away as possible from this stuff for a long time.”

— Resa Woodward

She tried to move on. Then a tip came to the district in March saying her film name was Robyn Foster.

A web-based adult film database lists Robyn Foster as active in the industry from 2001 to 2004 and associates that actress with 16 movies, including compilations of previously recorded material that was then released as recently as 2013.

“The caller was concerned because he/she did not want his/her child exposed to things like this,” according to the report. The tipster felt Woodward was trying to deceive the students and parents.

Kate Gorman Bauer, the district’s director of Professional Standards, searched the internet and confirmed that Woodward was in numerous pornographic videos and photos. Initially, Woodward denied the allegations, then confirmed it was her, according to the district’s investigation.

Woodward told district officials that activity stopped in 2001 and believed a man who knew her was retaliating against her by alerting the district, according to the report. Read the rest of this entry »

In its fifth trust poll, 35 percent said they trusted Fox news more than any other outlet, followed by PBS at 14 percent, ABC at 11 percent, CNN at 10 percent, CBS at 9 percent, 6 percent for MSNBC and Comedy Central, and just 3 percent for NBC.

The pollster said Fox won because Republicans are devoted to it. “It leads the way because of its continuing near total support among Republicans as the place to go for news- 69 percent of Republicans say it’s their most trusted source with nothing else polling above 7 percent,” said PPP.

Fox News’ Rising Star

This is a bizarre profile. It starts with four paragraphs of fetishistic narrative of Kelly’s pre-show cosmetic work. Of course. Why not begin the story by treating her like a model rather than a journalist? This is the Washington Post. Even more unsettling, Dan Zak indulges in writerly self-reflection, interrupting his profile of Kelly with a surreal inner dialogue, writing about writing about his subject. Is he writing about himself? Or his subject?

Is it in part to excuse his shallow observations? Or these stylistic flourishes are meant to help sell the story? Or he had trouble during the deadline, and lost his way? Or because Megyn Kelly‘s overpowering personality and rapid success unnerved him? Part of me hopes it’s the latter.

(I have a few more comments at the end of the profile, after the jump, about the media’s earth-shattering Megyn Kelly trumped-up ‘Santa Claus’ controversy.)

Megyn Kelly is a force of nature, that’s for sure. Actually it’s not a bad profile. Maybe this is how Dan Zakwrites all the time. I’ll let the reader decide. He begins with cosmetics, cosmetics, cosmetics, but ends up with an engaging profile that’s fair and fun to read. How many words before he mentions eyelash extensions? I count nine.

Dan Zak writes: The anchor who might beat Bill O’Reilly gets her eyelash extensions applied one at a time, with tweezers and dabs of glue, about 90 minutes before showtime, right after a motorized gun sprays foundation over her face, neck, shoulders, collarbone and sternum, wiping out a galaxy of light freckles that spreads across her —

Would you write this way about a man?

About O’Reilly himself?

At least that’s what Megyn Kelly might ask at this point. Kelly, 43, is the host of “The Kelly File,” a live TV program that airs weeknights at 9 p.m. on the Fox News Channel, where she interrupts and challenges guests whenever they resort to talking points or petty distractions. It debuted just over two months ago, and so far its ratings among 25-to-54-year-olds have exceeded those of “The O’Reilly Factor” six times. In November, her first full month in prime time after years in daytime, Kelly was second only to O’Reilly in the overall ratings, which means she’s the No. 2 person on cable news’s No. 1 channel.

“It’s like working on a supermodel every day — a brilliant supermodel,” says makeup artist Maureen Walsh, as she air-brushes Kelly’s skin from milky white to Technicolor.

The small makeup room is hot from the blow dryer. Pen in hand, Kelly, a former corporate lawyer, reads an article headlined “For Democrats in 2014, the Web site is still the problem,” her eyes zipping over text as Maureen smudges heavy plum-colored eye shadow on her lids.

In a surprise move, controversial commentator Martin Bashir has been tapped to lead NBC in 2014 as the network’s new President. “I couldn’t be happier”, said Bashir, “I think as a news organization, we’re on the right track, heading in the right direction. An NBC spokesman confirmed the transition. “We think Martin’s a great choice to bring dynamism and creativity to the network. We’re proud to have Mr. Bashir take on these new responsibilities.” Read the rest of this entry »

“…But in the case of the federal shutdown, of course, the economic hit on millions of Americans didn’t come from government — it came from one political faction in the House of Representatives. You could sue the Tea Party, but what is that? A bunch of costumed zealots on Fox are not responsible for anything that comes out of their mouths and lands in the porous mind of someone like…”